Former Jersey Shore Solar CEO facing decade in prison for theft

The former CEO of Greenlife Solar LLC is charged with stealing more than $485,000.00 from a private school, a church and a homeowner between December of 2015 and June of 2016, announced Monmouth County Prosecutor Chris Gramiccioni.

Christopher Tzokas, 48, of Toms River could face at least 10-years in prison for theft by deception.

Monmouth County Prosecutors received a tip in June of 2017 about the alleged school theft in the amount of $43,493.00 and with the homeowner in the amount of $33,468.75 and that led them to a trail Tzokas left behind.

An investigation began in June of 2017 after the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office received a call alerting that Tzokas committed a theft against a school in the amount of $408,331.00.

The investigation determined that Tzokas would typically begin the solar installation process after receiving initial payments.

He would then stop appearing at the job site and become inaccessible and unresponsive to the clients.

Tzokas never continued any work and fraudulently spent the payments for his own personal use.

He was charged with these crimes on February 1, 2019 and was arrested by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office with the assistance of the Toms River Police Department.

Tzokas faces up to 10 years in New Jersey state prison on a second degree charge of Theft by Deception, with up to five years without parole and fines of up to $150,000.00.

He also faces an additional five years on two third degree charges of Theft by Deception with up to 2.5 years without parole and up to $15,000.00 in fines.

Anyone who has information to assist the investigative team is urged to contact Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Stephen Borchard at 800-533-7443.

The case has been assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Diane Aifer.